Thought for December 14

 History:

• 1900: Max Planck presents a paper beginning the study of quantum physics
• 1901: First table tennis tournament
• 1903: Wright Brothers make first attempt at Kitty Hawk
• 1911: Roald Amundsen beats Robert Perry to the South Pole
• 1916: America's first Board Certified physicians are named at the University of Tennessee Medical School in Memphis
• 1947: NASCAR founded in Daytona Beach
• 1961: Jimmy Dean's "Big Bad John" is first country song to get Gold Record
• 1981: Israel annexes the Golan Heights
• 1993: The movie "Philadelphia" premiers
• 2012: Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy--28 killed including 20 children
• Born: Nostradamus, Tycho Brahe, Jimmy Doolittle, Spike Jones, Charlie Rich, Lee Remick, Ernie Davis, Stan Smith, Bill Buckner, Kyle Shanahan
• Died: Vlad the Impaler, George Washington, George Gipp, John Harvey Kellogg, Dinah Washington, Roger Maris, Myrna Loy, Peter O'Tolle, Bess Myerson

Thought:

Thinking about those families at Sandy Hook this morning. Ten years ago today, their lives were changed forever. Dreams were lost; sorrow was unbearable. Anger and rage mingled with grief and numbness. As I look at the last three verses of Psalm 127, I pray for these who lost so much.

• Children are a gift from the Lord [127:3] How easy that is to believe and accept when you hold that child or grandchild for the first time. The amazing, miraculous baby--knitted together by God Himself in their mother's womb. So intricate, complex, yet so simple and innocent. I love our parent-child dedication at church when we join with parents in recognizing the amazing gift God has entrusted in the person of a child. We dream of the things that child will do and be. This verse causes me to focus on my role--God has entrusted me with a gift. Think about that--the Bible says that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son---a gift of a Child we celebrate in 11 days. And here God has given a gift of another child--our child. A question is what will we do with the Christ Child--God's gift. And what will we do with our child--God's gift. 
• A child is like an arrow in the hand of a warrior [127:4]. What does a warrior do with an arrow? He takes it from his quiver, he carefully aims it at a target, he provides the energy, the power to propel the arrow toward its target. Then he lets go. What does this tell me?
• While the arrow is in the quiver, I am responsible for its protection, sharpening, care. I do everything I can to make it ready to fire. I maintain it in a way that it stays straight--physically, mentally, physically. I raise it up in the way it should go. I teach it priorities by my example. I always recall that I am the archer/warrior, not another arrow. My job is not to be the arrow's buddy, but to be the arrow's archer. 
• At the right time, I remove the arrow from the quiver. I aim it into the future. I provide the launching power to propel it toward its target. I help it select its goal. I encourage it to stay on course. I remind it of the resources available for flight guidance and control. 
• I let go. I understand that the flight is one the arrow takes by itself. Once I have released it, I become a cheerleader, encourager, reminder of the target and the goal. But this arrow has to make choices for itself. And there will be strong winds, people and things claiming to be the right target. But I let go. 

At Sandy Hook some parents lost their arrows-- a tragedy. Some of you have lost children too--some have been lost to death, some to wandering. But God is a God of hope. Pray for the wandering and continue to point them to that target you set for them. Others are blessed with arrows that are well into their flights and so far, the guidance system we tried to install is working. Pray for them and continue to be an example of an arrow on target. Today, I am reminded again of the joy I get in handing out treats at Vacation Bible School---every day a line of young arrows marches by. Lord help us be good bows and faithful archers.

Blessings

Larry